Campbell gets community service

Supermodel Naomi Campbell has been sentenced to 200 hours' community service after pleading guilty to assaulting two police officers.

Campbell, 38, admitted kicking and spitting at the officers on board a plane at Heathrow Airport on 3 April.

Magistrates in Uxbridge also ordered her to pay £200 compensation to each of the officers and £150 to the plane's captain, Miles Sutherland.

Her publicist said she would "handle whatever she's asked to do".

Alan Edwards said: "One thing I would say about her, she's incredibly hard working and she's not scared of hard work.

"She is very, very relieved it is over and she has been treated fairly. The whole thing is regrettable, she knows that."

Campbell must complete her community service within 12 months. She must also pay fines totalling £2,300 following the incident, which saw her removed from a BA flight bound for Los Angeles from Heathrow's Terminal 5.

Whilst we accept that the loss of your suitcase would have been stressful your subsequent behaviour cannot be justified

Peter Yiacoumi Chairman of the magistrates

Chairman of the magistrates' Peter Yiacoumi said he had given Campbell credit for her guilty pleas and previous good character.

But Mr Yiacoumi said: "These offences are aggravated because they were committed within a lengthy incident in a confined space on an aircraft.

"Whilst we accept that the loss of your suitcase would have been stressful your subsequent behaviour cannot be justified."

Media scrum

Campbell admitted three counts of assaulting a constable and one count of disorderly conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

She also pleaded guilty to two counts of using threatening, abusive words or behaviour to cabin crew.

The charge of assaulting a constable carried a maximum six-month prison sentence and a fine of up to £5,000.

Earlier, wearing a dark suit and sunglasses, she faced a media scrum as she arrived in a Mercedes for her court hearing.

In court, the prosecution said problems started on the aircraft when the model was told an item that belonged to her was among luggage which had gone missing.

Melanie Parrish, prosecuting, told the court Campbell was travelling first class and was initially very friendly.

Naomi Campbell admitted in court to a total of six charges

The aircraft's captain had been told that not all the luggage had been put on the plane because of teething problems at the new terminal.

Miss Parrish said: "Miss Campbell, having heard this, approached the cabin crew and asked them to make inquiries about the state of her baggage.

"Regrettably it was confirmed one of her items was one of those not loaded.

Miss Parrish told the court that the model was "clearly upset".

She added: "The reason why this was so awful for her was that she was contracted to wear a particular Yves Saint Laurent outfit on a US chat show and it was in the bag that hadn't been loaded.

"Having heard that Miss Campbell had been affected by the baggage difficulties, he [Captain Sutherland] took the unusual decision to come and speak with her and explain the situation and make his apologies."

'A racist'

The court was told Ms Campbell became upset and demanded to know where her bag was.

People were wound up and at the end of their tether and it was an unfortunate situation

Alan EdwardsNaomi Campbell's publicist

Campbell swore at the captain and said she wanted him to get off the plane and get her bag.

As the captain walked away, Campbell said: "You are a racist, you wouldn't be doing this if I was white."

The court heard BA staff asked Campbell to leave the plane but she continued to shout and swear and talk into her mobile phone, so the police were called.

The prosecution said Campbell kicked one of the officers in the thigh.

She kicked another officer in the shin, wedged herself in her seat and spat at the officers, the court was told.

Simon Nicholls, defending, said Campbell had paid a lot of money for the flight and that the bag contained clothes which were the "tools of her trade".

Mr Edwards said: "It was an extraordinary circumstance at Terminal 5. People were wound up and at the end of their tether and it was an unfortunate situation.

"It has been a long day and it was very hot in the building and Naomi was close to fainting so she is tired, but relieved it has all been dealt with."

Her lawyer Simon Nicholls said: "All my client wanted [was] to be dealt with as though she was anybody else."

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